NORTHWICH is being put on the map after the Lion Salt Works was identified as one of the key industrial sites in Europe.

The salt works will today be named an 'Anchor Point' in the European Route of Industrial Heritage, a network of the most important industrial heritage sites in Europe.

From disused production plants and coalmines to industrial landscape parks and interactive technology museums, the backbone of the route consists of Anchor Points which tell tourists what they can see locally, and act as starting points for regional and thematic routes. Others in the North West include Manchester's Museum of Science and Industry and the Merseyside Maritime Museum.

Chairman of trustees Richard Hamlett said: 'It is recognition that the Lion Salt Works can be the main starting point for the interpretation of salt making and celebrates the dominant factor Cheshire became in the production of salt in the UK.

'The unveiling should be seen as another important stepping-stone on the way to the restoration of the Lion Salt Works. But that there is still a lot of work to be done, firstly to secure match funding for a £5m Heritage Lottery award to make the dream become a reality.'

Project director Andrew Fielding added: 'The Anchor Point status shows the huge potential that had been recognised in the future of the Lion Salt Works. It is not many years ago that World Heritage sites like Blaenavon in South Wales - another Anchor Point - was in the early stages of development and required capital investment to begin restoration work.'

To mark the event, a plaque will be handed over by Felicity Goodey, chairman of NW Tourism and former BBC news reporter, today, boosting efforts to raise the £1m needed to secure the lottery grant by next month.